The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), sitting in Arusha, on Tuesday, passed the EAC Conflict Management Bill 2011 that shall see the region establish a Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Mechanism (CPMR).A statement from the regional assembly says the object of the bill is to establish a mechanism for the identification of potential sources of conflict and devising response options. "It further seeks to ensure provision of pre-emptive measures to address conflict situations, develop capacity for mediation and negotiations to forestall and diffuse conflicts and propose modalities for intervention,” reads part of the statement.EALA member, Dr. Aman Kabourou, from Tanzania, said it was time for the region to contain, through a legal framework, eventualities of conflicts that may arise.Kenya’s Assistant Minister for EAC affairs, Peter Munya, said though the Council of Ministers was receptive of the law, its timing was misplaced given other on-going initiatives in the region.According to the statement, Munya noted that the negotiations of the Protocol on Peace and Security were complete and that the Protocol was at the stage of being assented. He noted that the Protocol had taken into consideration most of the aspects covered by the new bill, saying that the Council would not support the Bill at this point.The minister in charge of EAC affairs, Monique Mukaruliza, told The New Times, yesterday that the Bill was important but it looks like a duplication of other initiatives."It proposes an institutional framework already proposed in the protocol on peace and security as already negotiated and about to be concluded.”